Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-02-23

grown cat you call California lion, and
wolf, and a creature like fox or squirrel"
dts pity they're not all of a kind, said
Falkner.
"Why2"
"Thered be nothing to keep them from be-
ing comfortable together"
"On the contrary should think it would
be simply awful to be shut up entirely with
ones own kind"
"Then you believe it is possible for them,
with their different natures and habits, to be
happy together?" said Falkner, with sudden
earnestness.
II believe" said Kate hurriedly, "that
the bear and the hon find the fox and the
wolf very amusing; and that the fox and
the wolff
"Wells" said Falkner, stopping short.
"Well, the fox and the wolf will carry
away much better opinion Of the lion and
bear than they had before"
They had reached the house by this time,
and for some occult reason Kate did not inn
mediately enter the parlor, where she had
left her sister and the invalid, who had al
ready been promoted to sofa and cushion
by the window, but proceeded directly to
her own room. As a maneuver to avoid
meeting Mrs. Hale, it was scarcely neces-
sary, for that lady was already in advance of
her on the staircase, as if she had left the
parlor moment before they entered the
house. Falkner, too, would have preferred
the company of his own thoughts, but Lee,
apparently the only unpreoccupied, all per-
vading and boyishly alert spirit in the party,
hailed him from within, and obliged him to
present himself ON the threshold Of the par
lor with the hare and hawks wing he was
still carrying. Eying the latter with affected
concern, Lee said gravely: "Of course, l
can eat it, Ned, and I dare say it's the best
part of the fowl, and the hare isn't more
than enough for the women, but l had no
idea we were 80 reduced. Three hours and
half cunning, and only one hare and
hawks wing. It's terrible"
Perceiving that his friend was alone, Falk-
ner dropped his burden in the hall and strobe
rapidly to his side. "Look here, George, we
must-I must-leave this place at once. It's
no use talking; I can stand this sort Of thing
no longer"
"Nor can I, with the door open. Shut it,
and say what you want quick, before Mrs.
Hale comes back. Have you found trailF'
"No, no; that's not what mean"
- fp ho /
expect to get away. Have you proposed ts
Beacon Street, and she thinks it rather pre-
mature on weeks acquaintance"
mo; butt
"But you will, you neans Don't, just
yet"
"But cannot live this perpetual lie."
"That depends. I don't know how you're
lying when I'm not with you. II you're
walking round with that girl, singing hymns
and talking of your class in Sunday school,
or if you're insinuating that you're million
aire. and think of buying the place for
summer hotel, I should: say you'd better quit
that kind of lying. But, on the other hand,
I don't see the necessity Of your dancing
round here with shot gun, and yelling for
Harkins' blood, or counting that package OF
greenbacks in the lap of Miss Scott, to be
truthful 1t seems to me there ought to be
something between the two"
"But, George, don't you think-you are on
such good terms with Mrs. Hale and her
mother-that you might tell them the whole
storya That is, tell it in your own way; they
will hear anything from you and believe it"
"Thank you; but suppose don't believe III
lying etherl"
"You know what I mean! You have
way, d-n it, of making everything seem like
q matter of course, and the most natural
thing going"
"Well, suppose 1 did. Are you prepared
for the worst!"
Falkner was silent for q moment and then
replied, "Yes; anything would be better than
this suspense"
II don't agree with you. Then you would
be willing to have them forgive us!"
II don't understand YOU"
~ mean that their forgiveness would be the
worst thing that could happen. Look here,
Ned Stop q moment; listen at that door.
Mrs. Hale has the tread of an angel, with the
pervading capacity of a cat Now, listen! l
don't pretend to be in love with anybody
here, but if were should hardly take ad-
vantage Of woman's helplessness and soli-
tude with sensational story about myself.
It's not giving her fair show You know
she won't turn you out of the house."
"No," said Falkner, reddening; "but
should expect to 60 at once, and that would
be my only excuse for telling her."
"Go! where7 In your preoccupation with
that girl you haven't even found the trail by
which Manuel escaped. Do you intend to
camp outside the house and make eyes at her
when she comes to the Window"
because you think nothing of flirting
with Mrs. Hale" said Falkner bitterly, "you
care little"-
"My dear Ned" said Lee, "tbe fact that
Mrs. Hale has husband and knows that she
can't marry me puts us on equal terms.
Nothing that she could learn about me here
after would make Irritation with Inc any
less wrong than it would I've now, or make
her seem more q victim. Can you say the
same of yourself and that Puritan girl!"
"But you did not advise me to keep aloof
from her; on the contrary, you"-
II thought you might make the best of the
situation and pay her some attention, because
you could not go any further"
"You thought was utterly heartless and
selfish, like"-
"Ned"
Falkner walked rapidly to the fireplace and
returned.
"Forgive me, George-rm fool-and an
ungrateful one"
Lee did not reply at once, although he took
and retained the hand Falkner had impul-
sively extended. "Promise me-" he said
slowly, after pause, "that you will say moth
ing yet to either Of these women. aski for
your own sake and this girls, not for mine.
If, on the contrary, you are tempted to do SO
from any Quixotic idea Of honor, remember
that you will only precipitate something that
will oblise you, from that same sense OF
honor, to separate from the girl forever"
II don't understand"
"Enough!" said be, with quick return of
his old reckless gayety. "Shoot-off-his-mouth,
the beardless boy chief Of the Sierras, has
spoken! Let the pale face with the black
mustache ponder and beware how he talks
hereafter to the Rippling Cochituate Water!